Newcomer joins two incumbents in city school board race

MARION – Candidate Michael Zucker hopes to be the newest addition of the Marion City School Board as he campaigns for a seat for this year’s election on Nov. 7.

Zucker joins incumbents Gary Iams and Mike McCreary in the race for two seats on the five-person board of the county’s largest school district.

A local business owner and Rushmore mentor, Zucker said it will be his first time running for school board, a decision that was inspired by his experiences as a student of the district more than 40 years ago.

“I started thinking about some of my best mentors and they were all coaches or teachers that I encountered and I want to be in the best position to help out the young members of our community,” he said. “I thought that being on the school board would be my best opportunity to do that, so I decided to run.”

The vote comes at a crucial time for Marion City Schools, as the district seeks to combat decreasing numbers in enrollment. On the positive side, state test scores were good enough a year ago to increase the school's state report card grades.

But the district faced some challenges over the past year as it closed its digital academy and approved the reintegration process of Rushmore Academy from a separate community school to a special program of the district.

As the district undergoes changes — from how attendance is calculated to open enrollment of students from other districts to special programs — Iams, who has been on the school board for 12 years, said that the district has been adapting to those changes.

Iams said that the district has employed a four pillar plan that consist of four programs; Leader in Me, Reading Recovery, Next Generation Learning Environments and Diploma + Acceptance.

"I believe that we have a solid plan and I want to keep working with our community to ensure that we are providing the best services of education to our families," he said.

When asked about what could be done to encourage enrollment, Iams replied that he wants to develop a more comprehensive communications and marketing plan that better advertises what the district has to offer.

McCreary, who has worked in education for 45 years, threw his support behind the Four Pillar plan and said that student progress should be the main tally for the district's success.

"I came onto this board to make a difference by listening, being accountable, and connecting with every person with a voice of respect that will last forever," he said in response to a series of questions included in the Marion Star's online Voter Guide.

Board member Leslie Schneider will be on a separate ballot, running unopposed to finish the remainder of her term after being chosen by the board to fill the seat of a member who resigned.